Homeownership down in hard-hit foreclosure areas (Dayton Daily News, December 14, 2010) The housing crisis and waves of foreclosures have hit some areas of the Dayton region hard, sending homeownership rates sharply down this decade, a Dayton Daily News analysis of new census data shows.

State's new advanced energy fund questioned (Columbus Dispatch, December 14, 2010) Ohio is moving ahead on a new $40 million fund designed to attract advanced-energy projects to the state, despite concerns among some Republicans about fees, profit splits and whether the program is on solid constitutional ground.

Washington Park renovation set to launch (Cincinnati Enquirer, December 16, 2010) By spring of 2012, a $47 million face lift to Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine is expected to be complete, a project developers say is critical to the neighborhood's renaissance.

Toledo port authority takes step to OK funding for ex-Ford site (Toledo Blade, December 17, 2010) The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Thursday approved the first of two resolutions necessary for financing a startup company's purchase of the former Ford stamping plant in Maumee, but only after agency leaders promised thorough scrutiny before approving the second one.

The struggles of Wilmington (The Economist, December 17, 2010) For years, however, Wilmington's true centre was not its downtown or the strip, but an expansive airpark home to DHL, a shipping company. Each day it would lure thousands of workers from Wilmington and beyond.

www.recovery.gov shows Cincinnati spending from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has reached 39 percent of the $1.1 billion received from various federal agencies, trying to stimulate jobs and restart the nation's economy. Stimulus recipients reported 858 jobs saved or created in the third quarter.

Job openings at two-year high; Ohio unemployment drops again (Middletown Journal, December 18, 2010) The Butler County Department of Development said it has more than 60 leads on businesses planning to locate in the area that carry a pipeline of 5,000 jobs. This does not include the announcements from Greenwood Fuels LLC and Advanced Design Solutions Inc., which received tax credits.

Akron black faring worse in downturn (Akron Beacon Journal, December 19, 2010) The recession triggered by the housing crash and financial crisis has hurt most people. But, in Akron, African-Americans have been hit harder. Their median household income - the midpoint, with half making more and half less - was estimated at $17,892, a 42 percent drop compared to 1999.

Trying to overcome the stubborn blight of vacancies (New York Times, December 19, 2010) As cities around the country try to pick apart the snarl left by the foreclosure crisis, Youngstown stands out as a troubling specter of how hard it is to have success. But despite the city's best efforts to deal with the vacant structures - including, most recently, a handful of legal remedies meant to increase municipal control - they remain a maddeningly intractable problem.

Editorial: Division in budgeting (Akron Beacon Journal, December 19, 2010) The Budget Planning and Management Commission reported last week, roughly 16 months after its formation, having received the task of exploring and presenting options for balancing the next state budget. What did the panel of six state lawmakers achieve? Little. They met four times, and produced two sketches of a proposal, one crafted by the three Democrats, the other by the Republicans. Each contained as much substance about budget proposals as the recent race for governor.

Do fees fit with Kasich's anti-tax pledge (Columbus Dispatch, December 20, 2010) Gov.-elect John Kasich vowed during the fall campaign to cut taxes as a way to improve Ohio's business climate and economy, but he doesn't necessarily see a fee as a tax by another name

Editorial: Trash-to-gas starting small (The Plain Dealer, December 20, 2010) Thanks to $10 million in federal stimulus grants, 11 projects from Ashtabula County to Zanesville and Cleveland will use aptly named digester facilities to compost into methane gas what is politely known as biodegradable material -- manure, sewage, mom's liver and onions.

Edited and compiled by: Molly Schnoke, Center for Community Planning & Development, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University